Six Month Slump
by Death.By.Fingerguns
Summary: It has been half a year since that fateful day on Starkiller Base. Finn has awaken, and Rey is missing her friends in exile with her master Luke Skywalker. What happens when Finn decides to pay Rey an unexpected visit? ((some FinnxRey))
1. Chapter 1

Rey sat meditating by the shore of the mountainous island on the planet Ahch-To; the island she landed on exactly six months ago to be trained by the legendary Jedi master Luke. She breathed in deeply, listening to the waves crash and crawl up the shoreline in an arrhythmic flow.

She had learned a lot from master Luke over the last half of a year. The first thing she learned was how to swim. That was funny to her. It was funny how completely her life had turned around. She went from a scavenger on a desert planet, struggling through the heat each and every day collecting old parts to trade for food, to joining the Resistance and training with the last Jedi left in the universe. On a planet made almost entirely of water at that.

While Rey had learned a lot, she was humble enough to know that she still had a long way to go. The skinny braid that rested on her shoulder reflected this. She hadn't even begun to construct her own lightsaber yet. True, she had a strong connection with the force, but being able to control all of that potential was another story.

The tide was rising. She felt a crawling wave gently caress her toes before receding. She breathed in deeply again, this time reaching out to the force energy surrounding her. Concentrating, she used it to part the water around her. As the tide rose more and more the water seemed to avoid her, almost as if an invisible wall surrounded her body sitting cross legged in the sand.

The isolation the island provided reminded Rey too much of her years on Jakku, and how alone she was there. She had found companionship and love in Finn, Chewie, Han, Poe, and even BB-8. She had been waiting for her family for as long as she could remember on Jakku. She hadn't remembered anything of who they were or what they looked like. The only thing that resonated with her all those years was that they would come back. They would come back for her, and that was enough to keep on surviving.

They never came back. When she had been captured by Kylo Ren and brought to the Starkiller Base, Finn came back. Finn and Han and Chewie came back for her. They were the only family she had.

Now Finn was injured, Han was dead, and Chewie was alone.

Dark thoughts began to wrap around her taut mind. She couldn't help but think it was all her fault. If they wouldn't have come back for her none of that would have happened. She wasn't worth the danger she put them through.

With that last thought her concentration broke, and the force wall she had built around her broke. It pulsed out into the water, knocking Rey back into the sand like a recoil. The force pulsed the water into a wave that crashed over her. The cool water drenched her where she lay. Agitated, She got up slowly.

Great. Now she was wet, cold, and upset. If it's one thing Rey never got used to it was the cold. She walked back to get her robe resting on a boulder. She missed them a lot. She hadn't seen them in half a year. Exile allowed for no communication with the outside world.

Putting on her robe, she sensed master Luke behind her. While he was the only other person on this planet, Rey felt as if she would be able to sense him in a crowd. He had a wise and slightly guilty aura about him.

"You're upset." he said simply. He understood what she was feeling completely. "It's your friends, isn't it?" How she felt drew him back to Dagobah all those years ago, and how he had had the same worry for Leia, Han and Chewie.

She looked down and wrung out her hair. "I just want to know if they're OK." She looked up to meet his eyes.

"I understand how you feel," he replied honestly, "but the best way for you to protect them, and yourself, is to complete your training. Kylo Ren is training with Snoke to defeat you and me. The Resistance is no match for the dark side without us." She could tell it pained him to tell her that.

What he said was true. She pushed her concern and anguish down. She had training to get to today, and clouding her mind with these thoughts would only make the day longer.


	2. Chapter 2

At the Resistance headquarters based on D'Qar, a small fleet of pilots were preparing to head out and secure a planet on the edge of the system. Phi-Twux was inhabited by a species of intelligent life called the Yarjynx. They were a highly endangered race threatened by gangsters and pirates settling there. The Resistance pledged to protect them and build a small base there, in tern expanding their territory. Leading this mission was Poe Dameron.

After the pilots readied their ships and loaded their cargo for the four day mission, Poe went to look for Finn. His best friend had awakened from his coma about two months ago. He had worried about him a little more than he should have since then. Finn insisted he was fine, and truly seemed like he was, other than his missing Rey. Poe understood that. Unlike Finn, Poe had been able to see Rey off. Finn never got to say goodbye.

Poe found Finn at one of the bases conditioning facilities lifting weights. He was there a lot lately. Poe wasn't sure whether he did this to get his mind off of his friend, or to prove he wouldn't be found a liability come the next battle. He knew Finn felt guilty for getting severely injured and leaving Rey to fight Kylo Ren herself. Poe smiled at that. Finn was so selfless.

He approached Finn who hadn't yet noticed him. "Hey, I'm getting ready to head out."

Finn stopped and turned to his friend. "I thought the fleet didn't leave for another few hours."

"Yeah well the commander is a hard ass and wants to complete the mission as soon as possible." He kidded. Finn chuckled at his joke.

"Well _commander_ good luck out there. See you in four days." Finn outstretched his arms for a hug.

Poe hugged his friend, patting his back hard. "Go take a shower." He winced teasingly.

Finn grabbed a towel and made his way to his quarters. He got in the shower and let the warm water run down his toned body. Stormtroopers had rigorous discipline and training. He had been away from that for awhile, and four of those months he had been comatose. It was refreshing getting back into a physical training routine, especially on his own terms.

He then thought about that battle six months ago against Kylo Ren. When Finn awoke two months ago, the only thing that reminded him that what had happened wasn't a dream was the long jagged scar that ran down his back, and the absence of Rey. When he was told she was OK and had gone to train with the legendary Luke Skywalker, he had felt an overwhelming mix of emotions: Relief, guilt, pride, and astonishment. She was OK. He was not able to protect her. She had taken down Kylo Ren _and_ saved him. The legendary Jedi master was real.

He needed to see her again. He had been so bored the last couple months. Things were slow moving. It was quiet between the Resistance and the First Order, and there wasn't a high demand for soldiers. In a lot of ways he was still considered "in recovery," even though it had been months since he had been injured. To be honest he was a bit bored and growing more and more restless. He was tired of sitting around and waiting. Waiting for Rey, waiting for the Resistance's next move, waiting to be recruited for a mission, and now waiting for Poe to get back too. Enough waiting. Finn quickly dried off and got dressed. He was going to see Rey.


	3. Chapter 3

Another thing Rey had learned was how to run properly. No matter who you were, be it foot soldier or Jedi knight, knowing how to properly run for your life was always a useful skill. She ran through the wooded area of the island, controlling her breathing as she moved. She had learned how to harness and push the force from behind her to make her faster; almost like a sail. She was guided by her instincts and knew exactly when to duck, jump, and turn to avoid the natural obstacles the woods provided.

As she was running, she felt something. Another presence... _above_ her? Just then she stopped, skidding a little in the loose dirt. She heard the sound of a ship and looked up just as it flew overhead, blocking out the sun for an instant. It was a small ship. She stared up for a second to process what she had just seen. A ship. It didn't look like anything the Resistance would fly, nor did it look like a TIE Fighter. Did someone know their location? Was it a bounty hunter or a spy? She needed to find Luke.

As she exited the overgrowth she felt the uneasiness of her master. He was standing at the edge of the woods hiding in the shade watching the ship land. She was sure that the pilot wouldn't be able to see them from here.

"He shouldn't have come." Luke said quietly.

Him? Who was it? Rey thought to herself. Did he know this person? She got a better look at the ship as it landed. It was small and heavily armored with a green and black paint job. Stealth class. She couldn't see any Resistance or First Order emblems. Not a ship model she recognized at all.

The sun was bright and reflecting off the sleek armor of the mysterious ship. Luke silently stepped out of the cover of the trees and walked towards their guest. Rey followed in stride cautiously, her eyes never leaving the cockpit.

The cockpit opened quickly and the pilot removed his helmet. Her heart leapt.

"REY!" Finn shouted as he jumped to the ground. She smiled and ran to meet her best friend half way. He scooped her up into a tight hug, lifting her off the ground. She laughed as he swung her. Finn seemed a bit more muscular than Rey remembered.

Finn felt whole again reunited with Rey. Her body was dirty and sweaty, but he didn't care. He missed her so much.

Then Finn caught the eyes of Jedi master Luke in the distance; he froze and put Rey down promptly.

Rey sensed the tension, but she was just so elated that she got to see Finn after so long, and looking a million times better than how she left him. She stepped between her master and her best friend.

"Master this is my friend, Finn."

After a second of silence she turned to Finn and whispered calmly, "You should probably say something now."

Finn thought for a second and did what stormtroopers were taught to do when approached by authority. He dropped to one knee. "It's an honor to meet you, uh, sir." It was the best he could do. He had never met a Jedi before.

"You took a great risk coming here, Finn. If you were followed here by anyone, our presence on this planet would be known. We are the most wanted people in the galaxy." the wise jedi rebuked. Finn remained on his knee. He had to admit it wasn't the smartest idea, but he needed to see Rey, and he couldn't help but feel that she needed some company just as much as he did.

"I understand, sir. I apologize, it's just-" he looked up "-Rey is the only family I have, and I am the only family she has. I couldn't just leave her alone again, especially since we had just found each other."

Rey's heart dropped. _She_ had been the one to leave _him,_ and still he came back to her. He was her best friend-her family-all she had hoped for all those years on Jakku. She looked down at Finn and then back up at her master, meeting his eyes with a pained expression. She was about to speak when her master interjected.

"Rey cannot leave this planet for her safety and yours, Finn." Luke said sternly. "But you have travelled far, and it would be wrong of me to turn you away after _such_ a long journey." Luke stressed, a sliver of sarcasm in his old voice. "You can stay here for the night, although I must warn you our accommodations here are very humble."

Both Finn and Rey's excitement resurfaced. Rey sprung to hug her master forcefully. Luke smiled at the rough embrace. He could tell it was a thank you. He knew his padawan well enough to know that Rey expressed her feelings through actions more often than words.


	4. Chapter 4

"Where did you get this ship?" Rey asked as she walked around it. Up close she could tell it had been modified quite a bit. She could see welding marks on the armor, and some parts of the ship looked newer than others.

"The Resistance confiscated it from a spy that was sent by a gang lord a few days ago. We must have gotten a little too close to their territory and it made them nervous. They are keeping the spy in a cell block for questioning to find out more about this gang." Finn shrugged. "It was just sitting there in the hanger. I figured it was the best option since it wouldn't draw as much attention as a Rebel fighter ship would."

"You stole this ship to come see me?" Rey said half amused, half touched.

"Well, uh," Finn couldn't find the words to make it sound a little better than _stealing_ , but he couldn't. "Yeah…" That's exactly what he had done.

Rey smirked. "We should fly it." She gestured to the ship.

Finn was surprised. "Luke said you can't leave."

"Then we won't. We have a whole planet to explore." She started climbing up to the two-person cockpit. Finn followed, mumbling about stubbornness. She missed flying, and despite being on this waterlogged planet for six months, she still hadn't seen most of it.

Rey felt as if she was in her element again in that pilot's seat, even though she wasn't familiar with the ship at all. She flipped some switches and controls eagerly. Finn watched her in the copilot seat. He hoped she wasn't _too_ out of practice with flying. True the planet was mostly water, which meant few obstacles, but he wasn't too keen on drowning.

"Ready?" Rey joked. Finn buckled his seat belt awkwardly.

The small ship raised off the ground and hid it's landing gear. Rey pushed the thrusters forward and took off faster than she anticipated, pushing them both back in their seats. This ship was _fast._ The two pilots looked at each other and smiled.

"I never tested how fast it could go." Finn remarked making Rey chuckle.

The planet below them was a blur of blue. Rey loved the rush and freedom. She never had a childhood; she was never able to be a kid. This was the first time in her life that she felt this free. All burdens left in the dust. The burden of her destiny, the burden of this war, the burden of surviving, the burden of her enemies, the burden of her guilt, her uncertainty, her loneliness. Gone.

The ship did a barrel roll and rocketed through two jagged mountains jutting out of the water. She cried out in pure euphoria. Finn looked at Rey laughing. This was the happiest he had ever seen her. He cried out with her. It was worth the risk coming here; he was happy he could give her this.

* * *

After a long afternoon of flying, Rey and Finn decided to land and explore. They were pretty far away from the island Rey and Luke had been staying on. It was morning on this side of the planet; dew peppered the ground and the sun hadn't reached the horizon yet. They landed the ship and sat down on the grass facing the shore.

"How have you been?" Rey asked before Finn could. She anticipated he would ask her, but she had to know how he was first. She picked up a pebble with her mind and tossed it into the calm water. It skipped a few times over the surface before sinking. Finn watched with wonder when she did this.

"I've been OK. I woke up about two months ago." Finn skipped a pebble using his hands. "Poe wouldn't leave me alone about my injury even though I insisted I was fine. I think it was just the wicked awesome scar that had him worried." Finn joked. "After I woke up and asked where you were, they told me how you had gone to train with the legendary Luke Skywalker." Finn looked at Rey more serious now. "You are a hero of the Resistance, Rey. You're going to do a lot of good, and even though I miss you a lot, I'm proud of you."

"I miss you too." Rey replied sincerely. She was relieved he seemed to be doing well. "I'm sorry I had to leave. Everyone kept telling me that this was my destiny. It was shocking. I went from a nobody to the Resistance's only hope of beating the dark side." She paused. " I used to dream of being a hero in the Resistance years ago when I was a child. Now I'm told it's my _destiny_." Rey skipped another pebble with her mind. The sun began to rise, turning the sky pastel yellow and blue.

Finn really felt for Rey. That was a lot of pressure to be thrown into. "Rey, I know you feel alone now, but I need you to know that you're not." Finn reminded her. "The Resistance did find hope when they found you, but what you found was a family. I will always be here for you, and so will Chewie, and Poe, and the whole Resistance." Finn stressed. "We stand with you."

Rey took a deep breath of the damp air, looking into Finn's eyes. She needed to hear that. She leaned her head on Finn's shoulder. They sat in silence watching the sunrise.


	5. Chapter 5

They explored the island for the rest of the morning. Rey figured it was probably night time on her island. With Finn's limited time on this planet, neither of them wanted to call it a day and sleep.

As they walked and explored, Rey asked Finn about Chewie, Poe, General Leia, and BB-8.

Finn assured her that they were all doing fine. In truth they were still recovering emotionally from what had happened that fateful day, but Finn left that part out, not wanting her to worry.

She never asked about the war, or the advancements of the Resistance, or anything like that. Finn understood why, and so he told her funny stories. Like how Chewie had spent a whole day cleaning the Falcon, only to have BB-8 track mud through it, and about the one time he and Poe arm wrestled, only to have it end by BB-8 shocking him in the leg, making Poe the arguable winner, and how he is undefeated at sabacc, and only let's Chewbacca win because he likes the idea of arms. She listened to him intently for hours as they walked.

* * *

Later in the day, the two walked along the shore until they came to an open field. A small herd of six-legged hooved animals were grazing. They were about six feet tall with short fur and four long twisted horns crowning their heads. Rey and Finn hid behind a fallen tree and watched them in amazement; they looked magnificent and powerful. They wondered if this species had even been discovered yet. They stood up slowly and crept toward them to get a closer look. Suddenly, Finn cracked a loud branch under his foot. They froze as all of the large horned creatures looked up at them. The biggest ones lowered their heads, pointing their horns at the tiny humans. They stomped and swung their heads before breaking into a charge.

Finn let out a yell and both of them spun around doubling back as fast as they could to the ship. They could hear and feel the thunder of the massive beasts behind them.

"So, did the force teach you anything about how to handle a situation like _this!?_ " Finn yelled to Rey. Rey looked back at the stampede for a second before answering.

"Run _faster!_ "

Finn rolled his eyes. " _Oh OK!"_

The two ran right into the side of ship and began climbing up into the cockpit. They knew there wasn't enough time to take off so they braced for the impending impact. After a second, the front of the herd crashed into the side of the ship, the ones in the back dodging and running around it. Rey and Finn held on to the sides as the impacts shook the small vessel.

After the whole herd ran passed the ship, Rey and Finn sighed in relief. They looked at each other and snickered. That was definitely an interesting way to end the day. Rey got out to survey the damage: nothing but a few dents. That was some armor.

The pilots started up the ship and took off back to Rey and Luke's island. As much as Rey didn't want this day to end, she knew her master would be expecting them now.

It took them a few hours to make it back to their island. They timed it just right; it was mid morning on this side of the planet. They landed the ship and climbed out.

The adrenaline had wore off; Rey and Finn realized how exhausted and hungry they were. Rey lead the way to her and Luke's lean-to camp. It was in a small valley at the base of some trees. The lean-to overlooked a misty mountain range. Master Luke was waiting for them holding a wooden spear next to a fire. Rey groaned. She knew her master would make them catch their own food.

"I expect you two are hungry." Master Luke said with a smirk. He handed the spear to his padawan.

"Good morning, master." Rey said flatly as she took the crude tool. She turned to Finn "We're going fishing." She quipped.

The two made their way down to a small bay near the lean-to. The fish that inhabited this part of the planet were edible, but a bit hard to catch because they could turn themselves invisible.

"I'm not seeing any fish." Finn said looking at the water.

"The fish here can camouflage themselves. The only way to catch them is to sense them."

Rey closed her eyes and concentrated on the water. She steadied her breathing and stood very still. After a few long seconds Rey caught the aura of one swimming slowly past her. Rey struck the spear through the fish as fast as a snake. The fish slowly materialized under the spear. It was about a foot long and black.

Finn stood behind Rey mouth agape. " _That was so cool!"_ Finn said excitedly. It was amazing what Rey had learned in six months.

Rey smiled at him and threw him the fish off her spear teasingly. He caught it awkwardly and laughed. Rey caught two more fish that way. They staked all three of them on the spear and headed back to the lean-to.

All three of them sat around the small fire and ate the fish. Rey and Finn told Luke about everything that had happened. Luke listened intently.

While he listened, he also thought about his decision to not turn Finn away. Though it was risky for Finn to come here, seeing Rey this spirited assured him it was worth it. He understood how much pressure she was under, and he knew he asked too much of her. She had to drop her new found friends and leave them to live in exile, so she could be taught the ways of the force and how to take down the First Order and the dark side. She didn't ask for this, but she had been selfless and brave enough to accept her destiny.


	6. Chapter 6

It was time for Finn to get back to the Resistance base. He knew he would be in a lot of trouble for commandeering a ship and leaving unannounced. He was not looking forward to that, but better to return sooner rather than later.

"At least now I can properly say goodbye." Rey amended. She hugged her best friend tightly. Finn hugged back. "Goodbye Finn."

Then she did something that neither of them were expecting: she kissed him on the cheek. Rey didn't know why she did it, but it just felt _right_.

Finn was taken aback. He had no idea how much she meant that kiss to mean, but he knew exactly how much it meant to him. He grabbed her calloused hand tightly in his. "Goodbye Rey." He said, smiling warmly. He knew the longer he stayed, the harder it would be for him to leave, so he squeezed her hand and turned to climb into the cockpit. Rey smiled as she watched him leave.

It had been a good day. Maybe even the best day Rey ever had. For the first time in her life she had been able to be a kid. For a moment she hadn't worried about the future, or her destiny or anything. And she got to spend it with her best friend Finn.


End file.
